Police recover stolen vehicles in Benin

The Zone 5 Police Command, Benin, has arrested a syndicate of five, who specialised in stealing cars, using master keys and two suspected armed robbers. The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 5, Benin, Mr Rasheed Olatunde, made this disclosure to newsmen in Benin on Friday.

Olatunde said the arrest was in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris; to mop up illegal arms in the country. He said that the suspects were arrested by the police operatives on Aug. 8 in Benin, while acting on credible intelligence.

The police chief said a fortnight ago, the zone recorded tremendous successes, following the arrest of a suspected criminal gang and subsequent recovery of 11 illegal firearms. Olatunde said that the arrest of the members of the syndicate was sequel to a complaint that a Toyota Corolla was stolen at a park, lodged by one Ale Endurance through his counsel.

According to him, following the complaint, operatives from the anti vice section were ordered to begin a manhunt for the suspects, hence the subsequent recovery of the car. The police chief said in the course of investigation, a suspect was arrested, who confessed to have received the stolen car from another suspect.

Olatunde said that the arrest of the second suspect led to the arrest of another suspect, who is also a car dealer, adding that the car dealer subsequently led the operatives to the arrest of the gang in Onitsha. “The principal suspect (names withheld), who was picked in Onitsha, confessed to be a welder by profession,’’ he said. Olatunde said, “the suspect specialises in designing master keys for the gang’’.

He said that the police was doing its best to clean up Benin and fish out bad eggs. The police chief reminded the public that security was a collective responsibility of all citizens and enjoined them to support the police.